Sanitary urine collector

ABSTRACT

A funnel for use in the collection of urine specimens having a side wall of flexible material and two openings at either end and a rigid member coupled about one end to hold the opening in an open position and to provide a foundation for a sealing cap.

United States Patent Ericson *Jan. 1, 1974 SANITARY URINE COLLECTOR [75] Inventor: Richard E. Ericson, Keene, NH. [56] References C'ted UNITED STATES PATENTS [73] Ass'gnee' Bard Murray 1,122,581 12/1914 Flitcraft 141/337 Notice: The portion of the term of this 1,740,418 12/1929 Donnelly..... 141/340 patent subsequent to May 25, 1988, 313g lSlrniltjh 1g y et a has been dlsclalmed' 3,033,222 5/1962 Connolly 4/] IO [22] Wed: 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 pp 119,108 149,574 8/1920 Great Britain 141/337 Related US. Application Data E F d k L M [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 774,696, Nov. 12, 1968, 'T' xam'l1er re em .atteson Pat 3'579652. Assistant Examiner-Henry K. Art1s Attorney-W. Saxton Seward [30] Foreign Application Priority Data ABSTRACT July 2, 1970 Canada 087042 July 3 970 Great Britain I I I u 32373/70 A funnel for use 1n the collection of urine speclmens having a side wall of flexible material and two open- [52] U CL 4/110 4/142 ings at either end and a rigid member coupled about [5]] Int E03; 13/00 one end to hold the opening in an open position and [58] Field or siilcifli.1111? 1:11:4/11o 112 142- Pmvide fmmdation M a Sealing 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAH 11w I 3,781,922

INVENTOR RICHARD E. ERICSON BY ATTORNEYS SANITARY URINE COLLECTOR This is a continuation of my pending application Ser. No. 774,696 filed Nov. 12, 1968 now US. Pat. No. 3,579,652, May 25, 1971.

This invention is directed to a sanitary urine collector and more particularly to a urine collector or funnel suitable for use in collecting urine specimens and/or for permitting a bedridden patient to void without the help of a hospital aide.

It is standard medical procedure to collect urine specimens for purposes of analysis. Most doctors or hospitals provide a narrow neck specimen container to the patient for such purposes. With the male, not too much difficulty is encountered in using the container, but the female has considerable difficulty.

Sometimes, the female will in voiding miss the small opening of the specimen container. Often the lip of the specimen container will become contaminated by contact with the area around the genitalia, as the female tries to insure that the urine enters the container. The contamination of the lip of the container often leads to contamination of the urine sample and may result in erroneous findings.

In view of the above there has existed for many years, a need for an improved urine collector. There was a particular need for a urine collector that could be used by a female without danger of accidents and also one that would isolate the tip of the specimen container from the user.

This invention has provided means to meet the requirements noted above. In particular, there is provided a collector or funnel arrangement which may be connectedto a container in a manner so as to isolate the top of the container from contact with the body during usage. This invention also provides a funnel having a large target which facilitates the catching of urine in midstream at a substantial distance from the body without spillage on the hands to thereby minimize the danger of the top of the funnel coming into contact with the body'and of the urine stream coming into contact with the top of the funnel before flowing into the container.

As an added feature, the funnel of this invention is inexpensive to construct, foldable into a small package, and also may because of its cost be used as a disposable item.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same.

The invention is shown by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the collector according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a container used with the collector of this invention. v

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the collector according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken along line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a detailed vertical section of modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 1 showing means for coupling the collector to a container.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the embodiment of the collector shown in FIG. 1 in a folded position.

FIG. 7 shows the collector according to this invention coupled by way of an attachment to one form of a bag.

FIG. 8 shows the collector according to this invention using a different type of attachment than shown in FIG. 7 for connecting the collector to a different type of a bag.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 there is shown at 10 the urine collector according to this invention. The urine collector 10 is shown as being coupled to a urine collecting container shown at 11 which may be a bottle or a plastic container which can be disposed of after use. The collector 10 is in the form of a collapsible funnel preferably constructed of a substantially flexible plastic material such as polyvinylchloride or the like having some stiffness so that it does not collapse upon itself and will remain in its preset configuration having a taffeta finish on the interior walls thereof and preferably having a portion constructed of opaque material and another portion constructed of translucent material. The funnel is preferably constructed of two flat panels 14 and 15 of plastic material, one opaque and the other transparent or translucent, having substantially the same dimensions with the panels sealed together by the use of adhesive or by heat sealing along two of their marginal edges. One of the marginal edges is shown at 12 in FIG. 1 and the other marginal edge is shown at 13. The panels are of a shape such that a funnel will preferably have a larger opening at the top thereof, shown at 16 and a smaller opening at the bottom thereof, shown at 17. The walls about the smaller opening 17 are preferably constructed such that they are stretchable, so that they will snugly fit about the container 11 to hold it in place. A strip of adhesive can also be used to insure the connection of the container 11 to the funnel 10. Preferably the circumferential dimension of the small opening 17 in at least one direction or plane is less than the outside circumference of the container 11, such that the material will stretch over the container 11 to frictionally hold it in place. Coupled about the larger opening 16 there is provided a substantially rigid annular member 19 (i.e. cardboard, plastic or the like) to insure that the larger opening 16 will be held in an open position. In a preferred embodiment the rigid member 19 is coupled to the funnel walls 10 by folding a top portion of the panel walls 14 and 15 so that it passes through the opening of the rigid member, then over the top of the rigid member 19 and then down along the side of the rigid member 19. It should be understood that the rigid member 19 could also be sealed to the wall panels 14 and 115. It should also be understood that more than two panels could be utilized to construct the funnel 10 according to this invention or it can be made from a single piece. Also the member 19 may be integral with the panel wall and be molded at the same time as the panel wall. By the use of the rigid member 19 there is provided a large opening which facilitates the collection of urine in midstream at a distance from the body. In addition the rigid member provides a foundation for a sealing cap shown at 20 to insure the sterility of the urine collection device. In FIG. 2, there is shown the container 11 which is provided with a cap shown at 22 for sealing the same after the collection of a urine specimen.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of the funnel construction shown in FIG. 1 and show the configuration of the funnel walls 14 and 15 with respect to the container and the rigid member. In FIG. 5 there is shown an alternative embodiment of FIG. 1 and in particular there is provided an annular attachment ring shown at 25 coupled to the walls 14 and 15 of the funnel about the smaller opening 17. The ring 25 has a central opening 26 therethrough for the passage of fluid and an inner wall threaded at 27 so that the cap 25 may be screwed onto the container 1 1. It should also be understood that the ring may be constructed to be coupled to the container 11 frictionally.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown the funnel and container folded into a small package for shipment. Preferably the construction of the funnel and its rigid member is such that the walls 14 and 15 of the funnel may be folded and the container 11 placed substantially within the interior confines of the rigid member 19 although the container may protrude above and/or below the rigid member in the vertical plane. The rigid member 19 may be constructed such that it can be distorted in the horizontal plane to accommodate the flexible walls of the funnel as well as the container 11.

FIG. 7 shows the use of funnel 10 according to this invention with a plastic bag such as an enema bag or a urine collection bag or the like shown at 30. The urine collection bag 30 may be of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,306,327 issued to John C. Ilg. The funnel 10 is connected to the bag by way of an attachment shown at 31. This attachment 31 can be constructed of plastic or the like which is adapted to frictionally fit over the spout 32 of the bag 30. The attachment 31 may if desired also be threaded so as to be screwable onto the spout 32. The attachment 31 may be of the type which is snugly attached or connected to the funnel 10 as was the container 1 1 or may be secured by way of an adhesive or may be heat sealed to the walls of the funnel 10. In FIG. 8 there is shown a further embodiment wherein there is provided a bag shown at 40 which may be of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,478,743 issued to the present applicant. The outlet of that bag comprises a flexible tube shown at 41 which may be connected by way of an adaptor shown at 42 to the funnel 10. The connector 42 may be in the nature of connector 31, but is provided with a narrow spout portion 43 having an opening therein and which may be inserted into the interior of the tube 41. The attachment 42 is preferably connected to the funnel in the manner described with reference to the attachment 31.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described it is to be understood that changes or variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A urine collecting device for catching a sample of urine in mid-stream, said device comprising in combination, a longitudinally and laterally collapsible funnel of flexible material with a larger upper opening at one end thereof and a smaller lower opening at the other end thereof, a member of substantially greater rigidity than said funnel coupled to the funnel about the larger opening to stabilize the funnel and hold the larger opening open to provide a relatively large target to catch the urine emission in mid-stream at a substantial distance from the genitalia, said member being located around the outer periphery of the larger end portion of the funnel defining said larger opening to provide a space between said member and said larger end portion open at its bottom, said device also including a urine collection container having a mouth, said smaller end of said funnel being provided with means removably located around said mouth to removably secure said smaller end to said mouth.

2. A urine collecting device according to claim 1, said larger end portion of the funnel extending upwardly through the member to form said space and then being folded over the top of said member and downwardly around the outer periphery of said member to thereby close the top of said space.

3. A device according to claim 2, said funnel material being a water-proof, flexible, polyvinyl chloride plastic.

4. A device according to claim 2, said member being a cylindrical shaped cardboard ring.

5. A device according to claim 2, said smaller end of said funnel removably extending over and around said mouth to protect it from contamination. 

1. A urine collecting device for catching a sample of urine in mid-stream, said device comprising in combination, a longitudinally and laterally collapsible funnel of flexible material with a larger upper opening at one end thereof and a smaller lower opening at the other end thereof, a member of substantially greater rigidity than said funnel coupled to the funnel about the larger opening to stabilize the funnel and hold the larger opening open to provide a relatively large target to catch the urine emission in mid-stream at a substantial distance from the genitalia, said member being located around the outer periphery of the larger end portion of the funnel defining said larger opening to provide a space between said member and said larger end portion open at its bottom, said device also including a urine collection container having a mouth, said smaller end of said funnel being provided with means removably located around said mouth to removably secure said smaller end to said mouth.
 2. A urine collecting device according to claim 1, said larger end portion of the funnel extending upwardly through the member to form said space and then being folded over the top of said member and downwardly around the outer periphery of said member to thereby close the top of said space.
 3. A device according to claim 2, said funnel material being a water-proof, flexible, polyvinyl chloride plastic.
 4. A device according to claim 2, said member being a cylindrical shaped cardboard ring.
 5. A device according to claim 2, said smaller end of said funnel removably extending over and around said mouth to protect it from contaMination. 